Separator-pumping



2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 22, 1953 NNN fnv/E Ei 571- June 5, 1956 1HORNBOSTEL SEPARATOR-PUMPING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 22, 1955 UnitedStates Patent lice SEPARATGR-PUMPIN G Lloyd Hornbostel, Beloit, Wis.,assignor to Beloit Iron Works, Beloit, Wis., a corporation of WisconsinApplication June 22, 1953, serial No. 363,249

s claims. (cl. 233-20) This invention relates to the pumping of lluidsand the centrifugal separation of heavier impurities therefrom, and moreparticularly, to a method of and apparatus for pumping paper machinestock and centrifugally separating heavier impurities therefrom.

As is well known in the art, the presence of an appreciable amount ofeven very small particles of impurities in the paper stock may beharmful in the paper machine operation for a number of reasons,including interference with the pumps and the like used in transportingthe stock from one point to another in a paper machine and the formationof defects in the web itself on the forming wire, or during subsequentdewatering operations. in View of the great variety of possible sourcesof impurities in the stock, these impurities include such materials asmetal scrap and particles of inorganic materials such as sand. Thepresent invention is concerned principally with the removal of thoseimpurities which are heavier than the iluid medium in which they areborne. Such impurities in paper machine stock include the aforementionedmetal particles and inorganic particles. lt will appear from thefollowing disclosure, however, that the instant apparatus and methodmight be used for the separation of impurities which are lighter thanthe' uid medium, and such an operation would require relatively minoralterations in View of the teachings here embodied.

In the operation of paper machines heretofore, two general methods ofremoving impurities were employed. In general, the devices used forremoving such impurities were positioned at the discharge of the fanpump and prior to the stock inlet to the head box. One type of deviceused is a screen, which may be used to screen out particles larger thana predetermined minimum particle size which would pass through thescreen. The screens, of course, ultimately accumulate a sufficientamount of impurities so that the screens resist the passage of stocktherethrough and must be removed and cleaned before being reinstalled.

Another type of device used for removing impurities from paper stock isgenerally referred to as the Vortrap which employs the generalprinciples of the centrifuge. in the Vortrap operation, the stock ispumped at a high rate of speed through a helically wound pipe in adownwurd direction so as to cause swirling or centrifugal motion in thestock, and the stock is released from the pipe into a chamber, whereinthe impurities are urged against the Wall and the impurity-free stockrises upwardly through the center of the chamber leaving the impuritiesbehind. It will, of course, be appreciated that the rate of flow atwhich the stock is pumped into such a device must be very high, and thefrictional losses are also very high, so that the rate of ow of stockdeparting from such a device is substantially reduced and additionalpumping may be necessary. Also, by their very nature such devices canaccommodate only a relatively small volume of stock flow and largebatteries of these devices must be used in parallel in order toaccommodate an 2,749,031 Patented .lune 45*, 1956 appreciable amount ofstock llow during the paper machine operation.

The instant invention provides a combination uid pump and centrifuge,which not only separates heavier impurities from the stock or the likelluid by the use of centrifugal force, but also pumps the fluid by theuse of centrifugal force, the necessary energy for imparting centrifugalforce to the fluid for accomplishing both purposes being furnished bythe rotation of a single rotating device.

It is, therefore, an important object of my invention to provide animproved apparatus for and method of pumping fluid and centrifugallyseparating heavier impurities therefrom.

It is another object of my invention to provide a fluid pump andcentrifuge comprising a casing, means deining an axial fluid inlet atone end of said casing, means defining an axial fluid outlet for saidcasing separate and apart from said axial inlet', means dening a seconduid outlet at the end opposite the inlet end of the casing and radiallyoutward from the axial outlet, rotating means within the casingimparting centrifugal force to fluid in the casing to urge the fluidtoward the outlets, and drawofl means cooperating with said secondoutlet to selectively permit and prevent fluid flow therethrough.

it is a further object of my invention to provide an improved method ofpumping fluid and centrifugally separating heavier impurities therefrom,which comprises swirling impurity-bearing fluid into a diverging annularstream having fast enough centrifugal speed to force the impuritiesoutwardly and along the outer surface of the diverging stream,withdrawing impurity-free fluid from the inner side of the divergentannular stream and releasing centrifugally urged impurity-rich fluidfrom the outer side of the divergent annular stream intermittentlyrtomaintain a predetermined minimum amountof 'impurities in the outerportion of the stream.

Other objects, features and advantages of my invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description of apreferred embodiment thereof and the drawings illustrating suchpreferred embodiment.

On the drawings:

Figure l is a View in perspective of a separator-pump embodying myinvention, with parts shown in section and parts broken away;

Figure 2 is a sectional elevational detail view of the periphery of theseparator-pump base, taken substantially along the line Il-ll of Figurel; and

Figure 3 is a sectional elevational detail view of th bearing assemblyat the left hand side of Figure l, taken substantially along the lineIII-III of Figure l.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral l0 indicates generally a fluid pump and centrifugecomprising a generally conically shaped casing l, means 12 defining anaxial fluid inlet near the casing apex 11a (Figure 3), means 13 definingan axial fluid outlet for the casing ll., means 14 defining a secondfluid outlet at the end 11b opposite theinlet or apex end lla of thecasing 11 and radially outward from the axial outlet 13 (Figure 2),rotating means 15 within the casing ll for imparting centrifugal forceto lluid in the casing ll to urge the fluid toward the outlets 13 and14, and draw-oilc or valve means indicated generally at 16 cooperatingwith the second fluid' outlet 14 to selectively permit and. preventfluid flow therethrough. Each of such means and/or elements will now bediscussed in detail.

The casing 11 is a generally hollow conically shaped body that isrotatable about its conical axis, and this lbody comprises conical walls11C which taper in one'direction toward the conical apex approximatelyat 11a and diverge in the opposite direction to engage the conical base11b. The conical base 11b has a central hub 17 suitable afixed to theouter surface of the base 11b, as by welding, and the hub 17 is suitablyjournaled in a bearing assembly 18 (shown in reduced size in Figure lfor the purpose of simplifying the view) which suitably supports thebase end of the casing 1l for rotation about its axis. Suitable drivemeans 19 (such as the belt and pulley means here shown) are connected tothe hub member i7 and to a suitable driving source (not shown) todrivingly rotate the hub 17 and the casing 11.

Referring now to Figure 3, it will be seen that the apex end 11a of thehousing 11 has an axial sleeve or projection 11e extending outwardlytherefrom and suitably journaled in the bearing assembly designatedgenerally by the reference numeral 2l). The bearing assembly comprisesan inner race 21 corotatably mounted of the sleeve portion 11e, rotatingbearing members 22 which are interposed between the inner race 2l and anouter race 23,

and the bearing housing 24 (shown only partially in Figure 3) whichencloses the bearing members 2l, 22 and 23 in the usual manner. Thebearing housing 24 is, of course, mounted in the usual manner upon asuitable pedestal 25, for example, by means of bolts 26, and thisbearing assembly 2G thereby supports the apex end of the casing 11 forrotation.

As shown best at Figure 3, a hollow shaft 27 extends axially through thesleeve member 11e and the apex end 11a into the casing 11, and thishollow shaft 27 extends substiaily throughout the height of the conicalcasing 11 to close proximity with the base 11b of the casing 11. Aspreviously indicated, the shaft 27 is provided with a hollow bore 13which provides a fluid outlet 13a closely adjacent to the casing base11b. The fluid flows into the outlet 13a and through the hollow bore 13out the apex end 11a of the casing 11.

The uid inlet means 12 provided for the casing 11 consist in an inletpipe 28 having a suitable control valve 29 therein, which pipe 28communicates with a T-fitting 30, at the opening 31 (Figure 3). As willbe seen in Figure 3, the T-fitting 30 axially receives the hollow pipe27 and is sealingly engaged thereto by means of the annulus 33 welded tothe pipe members 27 and 30 at one end of the T 30. At the opposite endof the T-fitting 30 is a spider 34 which effectively supports and bracesthe pipe members 27 and 30 and permits fluid flow into the casing 11surrounding of the hollow pipe 27 as indicated by the solid line arrowsin Figure 3.

As will be appreciated, the pipe members 27 and 30 are mounted forrelative rotation with respect to the casing 11, or in other words, thepipe members 27 and 30 are held against rotation while the casing 11 isrotated. In order to effect a suitable fluid seal between the T-tting 30and the casing sleeve 11e a packing gland assembly 35 is providedcomprising the packing 36, and an annular packing ring 37 threadedlyengaging casing sleeve 11e for suitably compressing the packing 36 tocause rotary and sealing engagement with the T-fitting 30.

The casing 11 has corotatably mounted therein a plurality of disc-shapedmembers 38a, 39b, 38e and 38d, which are actually annular members ofincreasing size to correspond with the increasing divergence of theconical casing walls llc and which rotate in close running relation withthe hollow shaft 27 which extends axially therethrough. A plurality ofmounting rods 39 extend from the casing base 11b in parallel alignmentwith the axis through the disc members 38, and these rods 39 are securedto the base 11b and the disc members 3S, as by welding, so as tocorotatably support the disc members 38 in the casing 11. The discmembers 38 serve a dual function of urging the fluid entering the casing1l outwardly against the inside of the casing walls 11e (since the discmembers 38 are spaced from the casing wall llc,

although in close proximity to such casing wall 11e) and impartingcentrifugal force to the fluid in the casing 11. The rods 39 and theinside of the casing walls llc also cooperate with the discs 38 toimpart centrifugal force to the fluid within the casing. lt will thus beseen that by rotating the casing 11, containing fluid therein, the discs3S, rods 39 and the casing walls llc (by frictional drag) all serve toimpart centrifugal force to the fluid within the casing; and the discs38 serve as baflles to prevent fluid flow along the axis of the casing,so that 'the huid is forced outwardly against the casing walls 11e andby virtue of the divergence of the casing walls 11C the fluid is forcedtherealong in the direction of the casing base lb. Any heavier materialsor irnpurities in the fluid during this operation are, of course,constantly forced to the closest proximity to the casing walls llcwhereas the impurity-free fluid will serve to fill the remaining volumeof the casing 11. Also such fluid, whether near the periphery of thecasing base 11b or near the center thereof, is subjected to the pumpingpressure generated by the centrifugal force which has been imparted tothe fluid; and this pumping pressure urges the substantiallyimpurity-free fluid near the central portion of the casing base 1lb intothe opening 13a in the hollow shaft 27. This opening 13a is thus anaxial fluid outlet for the instant casing l1, and thc fluid enteringthis outlet 13a is under the pumping pressure generated through thecentrifugal pumping action of the instant device, so that this fluidflows through the hollow pipe 27 at substantially the flow rate impartedthereto by the centrifugal pumping action of the rotating casing 11. Thefluid flowing through the hollow pipe 27 is, of course, substantiallyimpurity-free, since the heavy impurities are urged by centrifugal forceagainst the peripheral portion of the base .11b and the centrifugalforce causes such heavy impurities to remain at this location whilesubstantially impurity-free fluid is forced inwardly toward the centerof the casing base 11b and then out through the hollow pipe 27.

In order to remove or otherwise dispose of the heavy impurities whichare collected at the extreme peripheral portion of the base 11b, aplurality of openings 14 are provided in the base 11b at the extremeperipheral portion thereof (Figure 2). These openings 14 thus define asecond fluid outlet at the base end of the casing 11 which outlet isradially outward from the axial outlet 13a. Referring to the details ofFigure 2, it will be seen that the casing base 11b is suitably bolted tothe conical casing walls llc by means of a flange member 11j suitablyafxed to the walls 11e (as by welding) and suitably bolted to the casingbase 11b, as by the bolt 4t) threadedly engaging the base 11b. Alsoafllxed to the base 11b is a peripherally aligned bracket 4l suitablyaffixed to the base 11b by means of bolts 42 threadedly engaging thebase 11b. The bracket 41 provides a peripheral shell or flange 41a whichis radially inward but in close proximity to the outlet openings 14, andwhich has suitably mounted thereon by means of bolts 43 an annularmember 44 presenting a groove 44a which faces the openings 14. Seated inthe groove 44a is a resilient elastomer tube 45. The tube 45 is apneumatic (or other type of fluid actuated tube) which assumes theposition shown in Figure 2 at reduced pressure, so as to permit the flowof fluid thereby (as indicated by the arrows) for the purpose of purgingthe gathered impurities located at the peripheral openings 14. When theopenings 14 arc unblocked as by the contraction of the tube 45 to theposition shown in Figure 2, thc centrifugally urged fluid in the casing1 1 rushes through the openings 14 and flushes the impurities collectedtherein out of the casing 11. When the tube 45 is subjected to highfluid pressure and caused to expand thereby', the tube 45 assumes theposition shown in light dotted lines in Figure 2 and thereby blocks offcompletely the openings i4. By this arrangement it is possible to purgethe impurities through the openings 14 whenever desired, but it is notnecessary to continuously cause the flow of fluid through the openings14. In addition, the resilient nature of the tube 4S permits this tubeto function effectively in blocking off the openings 14, even thoughsmall particles or impurities may not have completely been purged fromthe mouths of the openings 14.

In operating the pneumatic tube 45, a suitable air line 46 (Figure l) isconnected to the tube 45 at 47 and extends radially inwardly to the hub17 and then outwardly through a central bore in the hub 17 to auniversal joint 48, so that this section 46 of the air line may rotatecontinuously with the casing 11. A non-rotating portion 49 of the airline with a suitable control valve 50 communicates with the air line 46through the universal joint 48 and also communicates with a source ofair under pressure. By actuation of the control valve 50 it is possibleto increase or decrease the air pressure within the tube 45 andcorrespondingly cause opening or blocking of the outlet openings 14,when such is desired.

It will thus be seen that with maximum air pressure on the tube 45 theperipheral outlet 14 is closed, and the rotating casing 11 effectivelyreceives fluid through the axial inlet 12, over the peripheral edges ofthe discs 38 and down along the conical casing walls 11e to the casingbase 11b, whereat impurity-rich fluid is centrifugally urged andretained at the extreme peripheral portion of the base 11b andimpurity-free fluid being lighter is driven inwardly and into the axialoutlet 13a, whereupon the impurity-free uid is urged by the pumpingforce of the device out through the hollow pipe 27, as indicated by thedotted line arrows. Whenever it is desired to purge collected impuritiesat the extreme peripheral portion of the base 11b, the air pressure atthe control valve 50 is reduced and the tube 45 collapses or contractssufficiently to permit the flow of iiuid through the peripheral openings14, so that a predetermined minimum amount of impurities may bemaintained in the extreme peripheral portion of the casing 11.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention.

I claim as my invention:

l. A fluid pump and centrifuge comprising a generally conically shapedcasing, means defining a uid inlet near the casing apex, a hollow shaftdefining an axial fluid outlet near the casing base, means defining asecond uid outlet at the periphery of the casing base, means rotatablerelative to said shaft within the casing imparting centrifugal force tofiuid in the casing to urge the uid toward the outlets, and baflie meansin said casing interposed between the inlet and said outlets for causingfiuid liow therein along the casing walls and substantially preventingaxially aligned uid flow toward the casing base.

2. A fluid pump and centrifuge for separating heavier impurities fromthe uid, comprising a casing, a shaft extending axially into saidcasing, said casing and said shaft being mounted for relative rotation,rotating means mounted within said casing to impart centrifugal force toiiuid within the casing, means defining an axial inlet at one end ofsaid casing surrounding said shaft, means defining an axial outlet forsaid casing at the end opposite said inlet end, and means defining asecond outlet for said casing at the end opposite the inlet end andradially outward from said axial outlet said rotating means beingpositioned substantially entirely between said inlet and said outlets.

3. A fluid pump and centrifuge for separating heavier impurities fromthe fluid, comprising a casing, a shaft extending axially into saidcasing, said casing and said shaft being mounted for relative rotation,rotating means mounted within said casing to impart centrifugal force tofluid within the casing, means defining an axial inlet at one end ofsaid casing surrounding said shaft, said shaft having an axial boreextending from adjacent the end opposite the inlet end of the casingthrough the shaft and outside of the casing to provide an axial outletfor said casing, and means defining a second outlet for said casing atthe end opposite the inlet end and radially outward from said axialoutlet said rotating means being positioned substantially entirelybetween said inlet and said outlets.

4. A uid pump and centrifuge for separating heavier impurities from thefluid, comprising a hollow shaft, a casing axially receiving said shaftand rotatably mounted thereon, means defining an axial inlet at one endof the casing, said hollow shaft terminating adjacent the end oppositesaid casing inlet end to provide an axial outlet for the casing,centrifugal pumping means corotatably mounted in said casing forimparting centrifugal force to the fluid therein, and means defining asecond outlet for said casing at the end opposite the inlet end andradially outward from said axial outlet.

5. A uid pump and centrifuge comprising a conically shaped casingmounted for rotation about its conical axis, a plurality of axiallyspaced disk-shaped bafiies corotatably mounted with said casing andextending radially to close proximity with the casing inside walls,means defining a fluid inlet near the casing apex, a hollow shaftextending axially into the apex and the casing to close proximity withthe casing base to provide an axial outlet for the casing, and meansdefining a second fluid outlet at the periphery of the casing base.

6. A fluid pump and centrifuge comprising a conically shaped casingmounted for rotation about its conical axis, a hollow shaft extendingaxially into the apex end of the casing to close proximity with thecasing base to provide an axial outlet for the casing, a plurality ofaxially spaced baffies corotatably mounted within said casing for closerunning relation to the shaft therein and extending radially to closeproximity with the casing inside walls, means defining a fiuid axialinlet surroundingly of the shaft at the casing apex, and means defininga second fluid outlet at the periphery of the casing base.

7. A fluid pump and centrifuge comprising a generally conically shapedcasing, means defining a fluid inlet near the casing apex, meansdefining an axial fluid outlet near the casing base, means defining asecond Huid outlet at the periphery of the casing base, rotating meanswithin the casing imparting centrifugal force to fluid in the casing tourge the fluid toward the outlets, and a resilient elasto mer tubeseated adjacent said peripheral outlet and adapted to selectively openand block said outlet by respective contraction and expansion thereof.

8. A uid pump and centrifuge comprising a generally conically shapedcasing, means defining a fluid inlet near the casing apex, meansdefining an axial liuid outlet near the casing base, means defining asecond fluid outlet at the periphery of the casing base, rotating meanswithin the casing imparting centrifugal force to fiuid in the casing tourge the uid toward the outlets, an elastomeric pneumatic tube seatedadjacent said peripheral outlet, and pneumatic pressure means connectedto said tube for increasing and decreasing pressure therein selectivelyto block and open the peripheral outlet.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 487,943Beimling Dec. 13, 1892 632,616 Alfven Sept. 5, 1899 2,263,095 LiebermanNov. 18, 1941 2,467,742 Hanno Apr. 19, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 164,867Great Britain June 20, 1921 979,279 France Dec. 6, 1950

